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<br />,I <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Mitigation Officer (SHMO) Conference so that officials from both arenas could share <br />information and ideas about improving their respective programs_ From the CWCB, Kevin <br />Houck attended the entire conference with support from Brian Hyde. From the Colorado <br />Division of Emergency Management (CDEM), Marilyn Gaily and Becky Murray represented the <br />SHMO role of Colorado. Among the subjects discussed were map modernization, insurance <br />aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a briefmg from FEMA headquarters, <br />mitigation grant programs, and many other topics relevant to the field of floodplain management. <br />The meeting featured successful interaction between the states and FEMA. FEMA emphasized <br />that they are in a dynamic period when changes are frequent, but it was agreed that the programs <br />in all of Region VIII, including Colorado, were running very well. Colorado has received a large <br />portion of map modernization funds in the region to date, and the efforts of the CWCB and the <br />Urban Drainage and Flood Control District were recognized during the meeting. <br /> <br />Wyoming's Weather Modification Program: Wyoming has finished interviews and is in <br />contract negotiation. Weather Modification Contractors were bidding for three program areas. <br />The winners were Weather Modification Incorporated, Inc. based out of North Dakota for the <br />large weather modification operations program in the Medicine Bow/Sierra Madre and Wind <br />River Ranges. WMI is the largest independent contractor for weather modification operations <br />worldwide. The evaluation of the large operational program will be done by the National Center <br />for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO. The steering committee for the Wyoming Water <br />Conunission was also interested in doing chemical tracer analysis; this involves using tracer <br />elements like Indium with the silver iodide in flares on planes and in the ground based <br />generators, and then take snowpack profiles for evaluations. The Desert Research Institute is <br />arguably best at this and will likely have NCAR subcontract this work out to DRl. The third and <br />fmal project was for a cloud seeding feasibility study for the Salt River and Wyoming Ranges in <br />west central Wyoming. This was awarded to the North American Weather Consultants out of <br />Sandy, UT (contractor for Colorado's Gunnison Basin program) that was also teamed with DRl. <br />Barry Lawrence anticip'ate&notice to proceed in mid June and straight out of the gates will do <br />environmental compliance work. They will host as series of Environmental- Impact Statement <br />scoping meetings and work their way through the NEP A process. The goal of this will be to <br />secure Forest Service special use permits and be able to site remotely operated ground based <br />generators on federal lands as high as possible on the mountaintops. <br /> <br />Statewide <br /> <br />Proposed Rulemaking to Implement HB 05-1039: This past session, the Legislature passed <br />HB 1039, amending HB 03-1320, codified at Section 37-83-105, C.R.S., concerning loans of <br />water rights to the Board for instream flow use. This bill amended HB 1320 to remove the <br />condition that such loans may only occur in a basin or county where the governor declares a <br />drought emergency, and added the condition that the Board may only use loaned water for a <br />decreed instream flow water right. Governor Owens signed the legislation on March 25,2005, <br />and it will become effective on August 8, 2005 ifno referendum petition is filed against the bill. <br /> <br />To address this change in the statutes, the Board will need to revise Rule 8.g of the ISF Rules. <br />At the July 2005 Board meeting, staff will provide the Board with a proposed rule, and request <br />the Board to authorize staff to initiate the rulemaking process, with the rulemaking hearing <br />scheduled for the November 2005 Board meeting. <br /> <br />13 <br />